“Dirty socks were left on the top of the travel cot,
Cob webs and dust everywhere,
Mould in the showers, they had not even tried to remove it,
The fridge was too small for 8 people,
Dishwasher downstairs when the kitchen was upstairs,
Door handles loose, on the kitchen and bedroom.”
The bedroom handle actually fell off. Only to be held on with a screw,
Tap dripping all the time in the kitchen,
Light bulb in downstairs bathroom full of water, therefore no light in the bathroom,
Parasol broken so couldn't sit out for long,
No furniture in the conservatory, the windows were rotten and floor tiles broken. Husband cut his foot on it. Could have been one of the babies,
Enclosed garden was tiny, full of nettles and thistles,
Rugs smelt disgusting and were full of stains underneath. We had to roll them up and kept them behind the settee,
Dirty and dusty underneath the settees. We even found a yogurt pot which was full of mould, must have been under the settee so long.
Pool table was broken, so couldn't play it. The barn was dangerous to be in.
We have lots of photographs if required.
We actually paid £40 for early arrival and late departure to pay the cleaner!
The last couple of years we have booked through Sykes and all the cottages were beautiful and spotless. Unfortunately this time we were very disappointed.
Thank you for your review. We're very sorry to hear that aspects of your stay did not meet expectations and appreciate you taking the time to share your feedback.
Cleanliness and maintenance are extremely important to us, and we’ve raised the cleaning concerns with our external cleaning contractor. Had you contacted us on arrival or during your stay, we would have gladly arranged for the cleaner to return immediately — as we always aim to put things right without delay.
Similarly, the maintenance issues you noted — including the door handle, dripping tap, parasol, and lightbulb — were all fixed promptly after your departure. These are straightforward items we would have been happy to resolve during your stay had we been made aware at the time.
The conservatory is not advertised as part of the main living space in the property. We deliberately leave it unfurnished as many guests find it useful as a large entrance space for wet dogs, boots, and coats. That said, we’ve taken your feedback onboard and have ordered seating to make the space more versatile for future guests.
Regarding safety, we were unable to locate the broken tile mentioned and requested photos via Sykes for clarification, but none were received. Nevertheless, the area has been checked and any potential hazards addressed.
The garden area is enclosed and secure as described, but we acknowledge a brief period of growth following recent rain. This has since been cleared and trimmed.
We’d also like to clarify that the downstairs utility area (where the dishwasher is located) and the kitchen layout are explained in our listing — furthermore, the pool table barn is not part of the advertised holiday let.
We always strive to provide a clean, safe, and relaxing experience at Owlbury Hall Barn, and we are genuinely sorry that this visit did not meet the high standard we aim to maintain. We have taken your feedback seriously and used it to review and improve several aspects of the property. For example, we had not recently inspected the underneath of the rugs but we have ordered some new ones now.
Property Owner
